diff --git a/core/tags/track.cpp b/core/tags/track.cpp
index fdf2fede..4c6e919a 100644
--- a/core/tags/track.cpp
+++ b/core/tags/track.cpp
@@ -25,17 +25,18 @@ track :: track()
 	 tr_count(0), tr_length(0), tr_track(0)
 {}
 
-track :: track(const std::string &key)
+struct db_entry *track_alloc(const gchar *key)
 {
 	const TagLib_AudioProperties *audio;
 	struct library *library;
+	struct track *track = NULL;
 	unsigned int lib_id;
 	TagLib_File *file;
 	TagLib_Tag  *tag;
 	std::string full;
 	char *path, *lower;
 
-	sscanf(key.c_str(), "%u/%m[^\n]", &lib_id, &path);
+	sscanf(key, "%u/%m[^\n]", &lib_id, &path);
 	library = library_get(lib_id);
 	full    = library_file(library, path);
 	file    = taglib_file_new(full.c_str());
@@ -44,29 +45,31 @@ track :: track(const std::string &key)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	track = new struct track;
 	tag   = taglib_file_tag(file);
 	audio = taglib_file_audioproperties(file);
 
-	tr_album   = album_find(taglib_tag_album(tag), taglib_tag_year(tag));
-	tr_artist  = artist_find(taglib_tag_artist(tag));
-	tr_genre   = genre_find(taglib_tag_genre(tag));
-	tr_library = library;
+	track->tr_album   = album_find(taglib_tag_album(tag), taglib_tag_year(tag));
+	track->tr_artist  = artist_find(taglib_tag_artist(tag));
+	track->tr_genre   = genre_find(taglib_tag_genre(tag));
+	track->tr_library = library;
 
-	tr_count  = 0;
-	tr_length = taglib_audioproperties_length(audio);
-	tr_track  = taglib_tag_track(tag);
-	date_set(&tr_date, 0, 0, 0);
+	track->tr_count  = 0;
+	track->tr_length = taglib_audioproperties_length(audio);
+	track->tr_track  = taglib_tag_track(tag);
+	date_set(&track->tr_date, 0, 0, 0);
 
-	tr_path  = path;
-	tr_title = taglib_tag_title(tag);
-	lower    = string_lowercase(tr_title.c_str());
-	tr_lower = lower;
+	track->tr_path  = path;
+	track->tr_title = taglib_tag_title(tag);
+	lower = string_lowercase(track->tr_title.c_str());
+	track->tr_lower = lower;
 
 	taglib_tag_free_strings();
 	taglib_file_free(file);
 	g_free(lower);
 out:
 	g_free(path);
+	return track;
 }
 
 static void track_free(struct db_entry *dbe)
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ static void track_write(struct file *file, struct db_entry *dbe)
 
 
 static const struct db_ops track_ops = {
-	NULL,
+	track_alloc,
 	track_free,
 	track_key,
 	track_read,
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ struct track *track_add(struct library *library, const std::string &filepath)
 	struct track *track = NULL;
 
 	if (!db_get(&track_db, key))
-		track = TRACK(db_insert(&track_db, new struct track(key)));
+		track = TRACK(db_insert(&track_db, track_alloc(key)));
 
 	g_free(key);
 	return track;
diff --git a/include/core/tags/track.h b/include/core/tags/track.h
index 9621c0c7..86b40bca 100644
--- a/include/core/tags/track.h
+++ b/include/core/tags/track.h
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ struct track : public db_entry {
 	std::string tr_title; /* This track's title.                         */
 	std::string tr_lower; /* This track's title (lowercased).            */
 
-	track(const std::string &);
 	track();  /**< Track constructor. */
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/core/tags/track.cpp b/tests/core/tags/track.cpp
index 0b88d0bc..a40dd3b2 100644
--- a/tests/core/tags/track.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/tags/track.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <set>
 #include <sstream>
 
+static struct track *test_alloc(const gchar *key)
+{
+	const struct db_ops *track_ops = test_track_ops();
+	return TRACK(track_ops->dbe_alloc(key));
+}
+
 static void test_verify_empty(struct track *track)
 {
 	const struct db_ops *track_ops = test_track_ops();
@@ -96,7 +102,7 @@ static void test_track()
 	date    = string_tm2str(now);
 	library = library_find("tests/Music");
 
-	track = new struct track("0/Hyrule Symphony/01 - Title Theme.ogg");
+	track = test_alloc("0/Hyrule Symphony/01 - Title Theme.ogg");
 	track->dbe_index = 0;
 	track_ops->dbe_setup(track);
 	test_verify_track(track);
@@ -157,8 +163,8 @@ static void test_track_filter()
 static void test_track_compare()
 {
 	const struct db_ops *track_ops = test_track_ops();
-	struct track  *title = new struct track("0/Hyrule Symphony/01 - Title Theme.ogg");
-	struct track *kokiri = new struct track("0/Hyrule Symphony/02 - Kokiri Forest.ogg");
+	struct track  *title = test_alloc("0/Hyrule Symphony/01 - Title Theme.ogg");
+	struct track *kokiri = test_alloc("0/Hyrule Symphony/02 - Kokiri Forest.ogg");
 
 	test_equal(track_compare(title, title),   0);
 	test_equal(track_compare(kokiri, title), -1);